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E-waste rules worry SMEs - EUbusiness Week newsletter 545


07-10-2011

EUbusiness Week 545 top stories: Europe bids to prop up banks as US urges rapid action; Russia to keep gas pipeline monopoly; Brussels prods Europe to invest in broadband; EU wins key round in carbon fight with airlines; Anti-counterfeiting treaty signed in Tokyo; 2000 cyanide spill caused tightening of EU regulations

This Week's Top Stories

1. Europe bids to prop up banks as US urges rapid action
2. Russia to keep gas pipeline monopoly
3. Brussels prods Europe to invest in broadband
4. EU wins key round in carbon fight with airlines
5. Anti-counterfeiting treaty signed in Tokyo
6. 2000 cyanide spill caused tightening of EU regulations

Publisher's Note

Most people support more recycling and collection. But small businesses could be hit hard by new e-waste rules voted by MEPs on the Environment Committee this week. The main bug-bear is that retailers would have to collect discarded small electronic goods left by consumers at no cost and without any requirement on consumers to buy a similar new product.

SME body UEAPME says "the one-size-fits-all collection obligations" are excessive and disproportionate for small electronics retailers. A 'one-to-one' system in the original proposal is seen as a more sensible option. We await the vote in Parliament's plenary, likely in January next year.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Europe bids to prop up banks as US urges rapid action

The European Central Bank on Thursday announced new measures to provide cash-strapped banks with liquidity as US President Obama stressed Europe must act quickly in its debt crisis.
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Eurozone economy into reverse: survey

2. Russia to keep gas pipeline monopoly

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia had no immediate plans to break up its natural gas export monopoly despite growing pressure from the European Union.
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Kazakhstan 'lacks gas' for EU link

3. Brussels prods Europe to invest in broadband

The Commission has urged Europe's largest telecoms operators to invest in high-speed broadband as it launched a review into the price of access to smaller alternative operators.
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4. EU wins key round in carbon fight with airlines

The European Union on Thursday won a key legal round against US airlines fighting EU plans to force foreign carriers to buy carbon permits to fly to and out of the 27-nation bloc.
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5. Anti-counterfeiting treaty signed in Tokyo

Japan, the United States and six other nations have signed a treaty in Tokyo to fight counterfeit and pirated goods, saying their proliferation hurts economic growth and helps organised crime.
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6. 2000 cyanide spill caused tightening of EU regulations

The EU tightened legislation on cyanide in the wake of the Baia Mare disaster in 2000, when a spill in a Romanian gold mine severely polluted the Danube and tributary rivers.
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EUROPEAN CASE LAW

Football: the European Court of Justice on Tuesday handed down a ruling in favour of a British pub landlady fined for televising Premier League football using a foreign satellite TV provider.
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Key witness testifies in Kosovo organ trafficking case
Latest Court of Justice judgements
Official Journal latest issues
EU Law ...

Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Budget: EU governments finally adopted a new sanctions package to make deficit and debt limit rules stick Tuesday, with Cyprus and Belgium immediately in Commission sights.
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Finland hails collateral deal but experts call it a 'farce'
Brazil ready to back crisis-hit Europe, differs on austerity
Council ...

Commission Watch

Food for poor: with winter just around the corner, the Commission has urged Member States to save a food aid programme delivering meals to 18 million of Europe's poorest.
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EU 'confident' full eurozone EFSF ratification mid-October
Kosovo closer to visa liberalisation talks: Commissioner
Commission ...

Euro-Parliament Watch

Serbia: the European Parliament's rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin said Monday that the decision by the Serbian authorities to ban the gay pride parade failed to ensure the rule of law in the country.
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In committee this week, the Environment Committee voted to update accident prevention rules for dangerous substance sites, with improved chemical classifications, clearer information for the public and more frequent inspections; the Internal Market Committee urged stronger cooperation on online gambling; and the Budgets Committee finalised its position on the EU budget for 2012.
Parliament ...

EU diary

10 Oct, Environment Council
10 Oct, Foreign Affairs Council
17-18 Oct, European Council
20-21 Oct, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary

RESOURCES

EU Law Firms
Summaries of EU Legislation
EU Decision-Making
Treaties of the European Union
Key EU Legal Terms

Other news on EUbusiness this week

EU readies new sanctions against Belarus 6-Oct
New EU sanctions to hit Syria commercial bank, Iranians 6-Oct
Slovak coalition scrambles for deal on eurozone rescue 6-Oct
Airbus eyes customer financing amid euro crisis 6-Oct
US tells EU air passenger data foiled terror plots 5-Oct
Montenegrin support for EU sees slight drop 4-Oct
Denmark to roll back border control bid: new PM 3-Oct
Eurozone private sector hits worst slump in 2 years 3-Oct

EUbusiness Community

PROMOTE YOUR COMPANY ON EUBUSINESS

Present your organisation's business and product information, press releases, and calls for proposals directly to Europe's decision-makers
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Events

19 Oct, Madrid: European Broccoli Conference 2011
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6 Dec, Milan: GeoPower Europe 2011: The Official Conference of the European Geothermal Energy Council
More events ...

Press

Cohesion policy: SMEs overall satisfied with EC proposals
Dangerous chemicals in consumer products: your Right to Know not easy to use
FoEE comment - Europe defies Canadian pressure on tar sands
More press ...

Guides

Cohesion: legislative package of EU regional, employment and social policy for 2014-2020
More guides ...

Jobs

China Programme Co-ordinator, European Council on Foreign Relations
Head of Legal Unit FMO, European Free Trade Association
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Publications

Autumn 2011: Economic Outlook for the Euro Area 2011-2012
Innovation Union competitiveness report 2011
Annual Report on EU SMEs 2010-2011
More publications ...

Links

Justice portal - European Commission website

 

Public consultation on the application, monitoring and enforcement of non-discrimination obligations in electronic communications

 

 

Weekly Diary

The Week Ahead no. 622
Russia's war against Ukraine - EU sanctions against Russia - EU Defence Industrial Strategy - pharmaceutical rules - EU enlargement - support measures for farmers

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